Automatic tally cutting press



P 22, 1964 A. E. NEWTON 3,149,522

AUTOMATIC TALLY CUTTING PRESS Filed April 14, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet l 1n ven for Albem E.Newon By his Attorney Qw W" M Se t. 22, 1964 A. E. NEWTON AUTOMATIC TALLY cumuc PRESS l0 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 14, 1961 H-H-H'HHHH gram cmmm p 1964 A. E. NEW TON 3,149,522

AUTOMATIC ,TALLY CUTTING PRESS Filed April 14, 1961 rife.

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AUTOMATIC TALLY CUTTING PRESS Filed April 14, 1961 1O Sheets-Sheet 4 KGIa K525 M7a KMd A. E. NEWTON momma 'mmcxmmc PRESS Sept. 22, 1964 Fund April 14, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 22, 1964 A. E. NEWTON .Au'romxc 'raux cumua mess I 10 SheetsShaet 6 Filed April 14, 1961 Sept. 22, 1964 Al s. NEWTON 3,149,522

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Au'rouxrrc mu CUTTING PRESS 10 Sheets-Shoot 8 Filod April 14, 1961 MHZ A. E. NEWTON I 3,149,522

auwouumc TALLY cu'r'rmc PRESS 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 3 xx g I Na Sept. 22, 1964 Filed April 14, 1961 Sept. 22, 1964 2 3 M. NEWTON 2,149,522

AUTOMATIC TALL! CUTTING PRESS Filed April 14, 1961 10 Sheets-Sheet 10 UnitedStatcs Pfltmt 3,149,522 AUTOMATIC TALLY CUTTING PRESS Albert E. Newton, Beverly Mass, asslgnor to United Shoe Machinery Corpora on, Flcmlngton, N.J., a corporntion of New Jerse Filed Apr. 14, 96l, Ser. No. 103,098 7 Claims. (Cl. 83-522) This invention relates to cutting presses of the type commonly referred to as clickers and more particularly to apparatus for use with such presses for automatically tallying the production thereof. The invention is illustrated as embodied in a cutting press of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,788,070, granted April 9. 1957. on an application filed in the name of Seabnry ll et al. for keeping a running tally either of the number of cuts made from sheet material with each of a plurality of different dies, or of the total area of the cut portions of sheet material. it will be understood, however, that the invention in many of its novel aspects is not limited to use with machines of the type herein illustrated.

The cutting press or clicker disclosed in the patent is adapted for cutting shaped parts out of sheet material by pressing through it and into a cutting block a freely movable die having a sharp cutting edge defining the periphery of the part to be cut. in present shoe factory practice. a clicker operator receives his work orders in the form of work tickets calling for the cutting of a given number of specified parts which may differ in kind and size. each different part having a corresponding die. For example. a ticket may call for the cutting out of specified numbers of inside and outside quarters. vamps and tips, each in a number of different sizes. The operator draws a number of pieces of leather representing what he judges to be a suitable area of material and cuts the pieces into the required shoe parts by laying the pieces one at'a timeon the cutting block of the clicker and 3,149,522 Patented Sept. 22, 1 964 stock. For example, an operator may estimate from the work ticket the required area of upper leather needed to cut out the parts and draw the leather from stock in the form of three separate pieces, each piece having previously been marked to indicate its area. As the operator completes the cutting of each piece, a'comparison of the piece area with the area of the cut shoe parts, hereinafter referred to as the yicld total will indicate his cutting efficiency.

it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which will automatically tally the running total of the yield, that is. the area of shoe parts cut by the operator by totalizing and indicating the sum of the individual areas cut during a given production run. t t

To these ends, and in accordance with a feature of the present invention, there is provided tallying apparatus comprising a reader for sensing coded data designations carried by the dies and for storing data from such sensing and an indicator controlled jointly by the reader and by the stroke trip means of the press to manifest the data as the press is operated. The reader has a scanner mounted on the press beam for sensing the data designations carried by the dies, as illustrated. on index tags aflixcd thereto, and a storage register controlled by signals from the scanner for storing the information received in the form of a group of signals from the scanner. The term "word" is used herein to signify a group of scanner signals handled as a unit in the apparatus and resuiting from the sensing of a given data designation. The register may interpret or translate the word received from the scanner in accordance with the data designation code prior to storage or it may store the word substantially as received and translate the word into language appropriate for controlling the indicatorupon receiving a read out signal. a

Other. features and advantages of invention will using it repeatedly to press cutting dies through selected i areas of the pieces." Thc'amo'unt'of waste produced by this process depends to a great extent on the skill of the operator in'iudiciously selecting dies of suitable size and shape in optimum disposition and sequence. in addition to planning his cutting pattern. the operator has bereto- I fore been required to keep track of thenumber of difl'creat shoe'parts which he has cut to insure final agreement between the partscut out and therparts specified in the ticket. Since thetime used by the operator in counting his production fslls to employgthe operator's highest skilis.it becomes highly desirable that means be provided automatically to keep track of production on each cutting order represented by'a ticket.

Accordingly. an'important object of the present invention is to provide apparatus adapted for use with a cutting press of-the aforementioned type for keeping a" running tallyof therproduction on ya worke ordcr by counting and indicating the numberoi cuts made with individual dies and (or warning the operatorrwhen enough parts-of a glven'kind have been cut.

' Since the amount of vintage produced aa'operator la cutting'fout parts'of agiven total area lsof'intercst la the promotionof cutting efiiciency, it isdesirable'that means beprovldcd for keeping a running totatpfthe area. of shectmaterial reprcse'nted ,by. the piece! cut'for i tions of the illustrative apparatus;

bestbe understood by reference tothe'specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawiags.-in which: so

. FIG. I is an angular view of a cutting machine embodying the present invention; p 7

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. t; PK]. 3 is an upward angular view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in H0. 2;

, FlO. 4 is a plan view of a portion-of the apparatus shown in H0. 3; .j i FlGQ 5 is an angular vicw on a further enlarged scale of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 4;

FlG.-6 is'n diagram illustrating the operational relatlon of an index tag and tag reading and tallying por- FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate other-index tags based on color-magnetic combination code: It

' FIG."9;is a sehematlcof a vcuitshowa in'FlO. 6; 2-

relay logicgand counter cirstraie anotlterform of index tag and ameans'of attaching such tags' 'toeutting' dies;

FIG. l2'is'an'explodcd'view comprisingan angular viewjof a portionoi a cutting die and means forattach- 3 F105: 13. 14,and rlSflliuslrate various l'ormsof data designations inj 'coacentric, clrcular index areacode and comparison with the area olshe'ct materiahdrawn from ;.,corrc s'ponding electricvoliage'wavelfio air-derived thcrcfrom during sensing by the apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIG; 16 is a schematic of a relay logic circuit for interprcting electric signals in a colorscqttcnce code;.

FIG. 17 is a schematic of a counter register shown in FIG. 6; and

FIGS. 18, i9 and 20 are schematics of portions of the circuit shown in FIG. 17.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative machine comprises a frame 10 carrying a cutting pad 12 for supporting sheet material such as a leather workpiece 14. A beam 16 is supported on apost 18 for swinging over the pad. and for movement toward and away from the pad by a fluid pressure motor (not shown). A trip means operates in response to downward movement of a handle 20 to cause the beam 16 to be movedtoward the cutting pad 12 in a cutting stroke terminated in normal operation when a die 22 is forced through the workpiece 14 into engagcment with the cutting pad 12. For a more detailed description of the fluid pressure motor and its control circuits, reference may be had to United States Letters latent No. 2,783,838, granted March 5, 1957, on an application tiled in the names of Roy Ci. Ericson and Frank E. Stratton.

According to the present invention, the die 22 carries a data designation identifying the die, the designation conveniently being disposed on a detachable index tag 26 as shown in FIG. l0. The data designation is suitably formed with fluorescent material in accordance with one of a variety of codes hereinafter discussed more fully. The fluorescent materials employed are adapted upon excitation with modulated ultraviolet light to emit similarly modulated light at characteristic colors or wave lengths and the data designations may thus comprise dill'crent combinations of color areas.

At the left rear of the machine, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, is a tally indicator comprising a bank 32 of counters 34 each having associated therewith a red warning light 36. As described more fully hereinafter, the data designation carried on an index tag by s die making a cut is sensed and the information stored by a reader and the counters are selectively operated in accordance with this information upon each actuation of the handle 20. Suitably, the counters are arranged to count down from a preset num ber set in from s word ticket and indicate the cuts remaining to be made while the warning light is controlled by circuitry to be turned on when an associated counter indicates that no more of its assigned cuts are to be made.

For the purpose of sensing s dats designation on an index tag, an elongated scanner 38 is mounted at one side of the beam 16 where it will be passed over a die and tag as the operator swings the beam from a rest position in which the front of thebcam is to the right of the cutting pad 12 to its operative position over the die on the workpiece sapported on the cutting pad 12; As seen in FIG. 3. the scanner 38 comprises an elongated ultraviolet lamp natiag current (not shown) to provide a modulated outp ,1 i v Adiaeent the lamp 4. and shielded therefrom by an intermediate web 42 is an optical system comprising a semi-cylindrical lens 44 snd,.spaced therefrom by approximately its focal length, enemy of photoelectric cells 46. The lamp, the lens and the'array extend a greater portion of the length of the scanner 3B. Between photocells from such radiation; Cemented to the upper surface of the filter 48 is a plurality of gelatin filters 50 -,are herein shown as photovoltaic solar" photocells in 5 The rear surface of the cells is tinned and the cells conveniently are mounted by soldering the rear surfaces of the cells to a negative bus 54 as shown in FIG. 4. The positive terminals of cells associated with red, blue and green filters are connected respectively to bu'scs56, 58 and 60.

1 Extending along the other side of the scanner from the lamp 40 is an elongated core 62 carrying a horizontal coil winding 64 in which avoltage is induced when the beam is swung over an index tag carrying a permanent magnet.

15 Referring to FIGS. 6 and 9, each ofjthe buses 56, 58

and and a bus 66 from the winding 64 is connected through shielding to the input of an A.C. preamplifiernmplilicr combination having an ungrounded output lead referenced by a prime numeral corresponding to the rcfcrg0 cnce numeral of the input bus. The output leads are connected to the arms of a four-pole double-throw switch 68 by which the leads may be connectedcither to a counter register 69 for yield totalizing or (as shown) to a diecounting circuit. in the illustrated position of the switch 25 68 the output of the amplifiers is directed to an interpreting storage register comprising a pulse-detecting thyratron switching and relay logic circuit. This circuit comprises four thyratrons 70, 72, 74 and 76 having in their anode circuits, respectively, the windings of the relays KR, KB.

:10 K0 and KM. A normally closed reset switch 78, which suitably may be arranged for actuation by swinging the beam 16 to its rest position for changing dies, is connected between the windings and a source of positive voltage E The thyratrons are biased nonconductive by 3;; connection of their grids through resistors 80 to a source of bias voltage 8 the grids being coupled through capacitors 82 to the leads 56', 58', 60" and 66'. The contacts of the relays are connected in a pyramid network. the root KR! of which is connected to the positive voltage 40. source B while the ultimate branchcontacts, those of the relay KM, are connected to groundthrough the counters 34 and a normally open count or readout switch 84 operated by the handle 20.

With none of the thyratrons conducting. the relays 46 form a path from the root at KR! through KRla, Klilu and KGla to KM! where it terminates in an open switch. When the beam is swung over a die carrying the red fluorescent tag shown in H0. 6, the tag will be illuminoted by the lamp 40, which, energized with lkc./s.

60 alternating current, flickers at the rate of 2,000 times per second. The photocells 46 behind the red filters will put out n corresponding 2'itc./s. A.C. signal on the bus 56 which is amplified and supplied via the lead 56 to the the thyratron 70. "The relay KRthen transfers Kit! to 551K111! forming a path from Km to KM5a connected to the counter for plain red. Then when the count switch 40 arranged to be excited from a source of l ite./s. aitcr- "i 84 is closed by actuation of the handle 20 in initiating a cutting stroke, the eounter is energized-from 8 to ground. Opening therreset'switchfla deenergizes the o0 thyratron by interrupting its anode supply.

n If the-red and blue index tag of FlO. Twere sensed,

" the relays KRand KB would be encrgizedand the circuit 7 an in FlG.'8, would close a path from KR! to KMtib. the lens and the may of photocells 46 disposed an infrared filter which prevents spurious response by the en a logical basis in accordance 'with thecombination code a condition breach of fifteeninputs'corresponding arranged in successive groups of the three dilierent colors, 'rntotlfteen different color and magnet comblnations, and red, blue and grcenms indicated in F104 by the hatching. to store the data in thlsform for use when called for in These filters are chosen selectively to transmit one of the jjthe opcratlon ofth'e clieiterf.:by -'.closure; of. the-count three coler'sof radtstlon emittedby the'flubrescentmateswitch 845 a, H '11 rial crnployedtoprovlde dstsdeslgnations on thc'in- FlGS."l0'and;-ll' showanindex, tag, 6 attached to a dextagsia'i'ijhqcells 46 of,'say suitable. ty egb'ut tn we biped"die y 'esnseffasnapf 'teaer having mating portions 28 and 30. 7 FIG. 12 show how an index lag be attached to a weblcss die. Here a member 90 having a I slot 92 for receiving the tag and a notch 94 on one edge is received between-overlapping flanges 96 of amating K4-5a is connected when closed to establish FIG. 13 illustrates output signals provided on the three buses 56', 58' and 60' by response to relative movement therewith of data designations comprising center dots and circular outer areas or bands of difl'erent colors. As the scanner passes over the designation shown in FIG. 13 comprising a green dot 110, a blue band 112 and a red band 114, the scanner will first pick up red light from the outer edge of the band 114, at time 1 As the scanner continues over the tag. next blue' and green light at times I, and 1, will be directed on the array producing A.C. voltage signals at 2 kc. on the leads 56', 58' and 60' in the relation shown by their envelopes in the first three wave forms of FIG. 13. It will be noted that the bands produce two peaks r r, and b b while the dot produces one peak g The lower three wave forms of FIG. 13 illustrate how the D.C. envelopes of the signals produced in scanning the data designation shown therein may be related with the critical or tiring grid voltages 8 of thyratrons. connected as shown in FIG. 9, to cilcct a time sequence in the firing of the thyratrons at times I... I, and I.

FIGS. 14 and i illustrate output signals produced on one lead by the scanner in response to relative movement therewith of data designations comprising circular index nrcns comprising center dots 120 and outer bands 122 and I24 of fluorescent material of one color. c.g. red, separated by annular spaces in which no fluorescent material is present. it will be seen from the wave form shown in P10. 15 that where the annular bands of fluorescent material are of the same order of width as the spaces. it is ditlicult to establish from the peaks n. rs. r,. n and r, of the envelope a trigger level '1, at which all of the peaks r, and r. produced by sensing the outer ring and the peak r, produced by sensing the center area can reliably be distinguished from the background level. this critically increases with additional outer rings. it will be seen that during the transverse scanning of FIG. t5, the envelope of the wave form which begins at the outer ring with a fairly well dcflncd peak r thereafter assumes a form in which the valleys are nearly as high as the original peak so that peaks andvallcys become ttitlleult to.'distinguish electrically with high reliability. However, with a data designation of the form shown in FIG. 14 in which the index area bands are relatively narrow with respect to the spacing therebetwecn, it will be seen that the wave form produced has peaks ofsubsititllittily equal height and, accordingly, is much more atliltlbic for controlling a counting circuit having a trigger levell,.-

FIG. '16

designations such as the data designation shown in FIG. IS. in this circuit. the signsls from the leads 56'. 60'

shows a relay logic circuit editable for the interpretation of signals from color sequence'codcd data and 58 are supplied to thyrstrons I4v and 72 re- 1 speciivciy, coupled thereto in the manner shown in P10. 9, the thyratrons having thewlnding's of KR',T' 1 G"and KB connected between their modes and {lead-130 connected to a source 8+ 'ol positivc voltage through n reset switch": which corresponds to the switch '78 of FIG. 9. h

Whenred signal by the scanner, the relay KR closcs its contact KRf-la to energizes lead 134. hereinafter referred toa's the red trunk, from the source 13+. Similarly. upon scnsing a blue signal, the thyratron 72' is firedto put a postthe mom a rat by tho se nslng or a preferably backward toward zero. 05

- a holding circuitfor therelay K4. "Ihej other four con- I tacts- K41ir, K42a,'K4-3a and KMa lead to terminals corresponding to color combinations in which the color red appears first, hereinafter referred, to as red-first" combinations." With the sensing of and signal and closure of contactsgKiV-la, the source B+ is connected through the contacts Kl-la and K2-lal to a terminal R corresponding to the red-alone color'iand through a diode 140 to the winding of K4 thereby' closing all the red-first color combination contacts of K4 although these terminals are not energized at this time. At the same time encrgiaztion of the red trunk energizes a relay K6 through the contacts KS-Za and a relay K9 through the contacts KID-3a to interrupt the energization circuit to K8 at K6-la and the encrgiaztion circuit oftherelay K12 at the contact K940. This eliminates from further possible cncrgization the green-alone. the blue-alone and the green-first and blue-first terminals. Energization of the relay K6 connects the red-green terminal to the green trunk 138 so that if this trunk is energized the red-grccn terminal will be energized. Similarly, the red-blue terminal is connected through contacts K9-1b to the blue trunk 136 so that it this trunk is energized the red-blue terminal will be energized.

Upon sensing thereafter of a blue signal resulting in the cnergization of the blue trunk 136, the relay K2 is energized through the contacts iii-2a. opening at K2-1n the circuit to the red-alone terminal R, the relay K4 remaining energized through its holding circuit, the circuit to the RG terminal s broken by the opening of the contacts K7-1a. the red-blue terminal is energized from the blue trunk through the contacts K9-lb. the circuit to the RGB terminal remains open at Kt-lb and the terminal R is connected to the green trunk 138 through the contacts KZ-Sb. v

Upon receipt of a green signal energizing the green trunk 138 the energizing circuit to the RB (red-blue) terminal is broken at the contacts KJ-Zawhilc the R terminal is energized.

Thus it will be seen in general that the signal from the first received color (color X) results in.the interruption of the cnergization circuits to all terminals other than X-first" terminals. the energization of the X-alone terminal'and the connection of the terminaisfor the possible X-Y and X-Z color pairs to color trunks corresponding to the secondary colors of the pairs. Upon encrgization of another color trunk. the corresponding one of the possible pair terminals is energized and the other interrupted while the possible three-color terminal is connected to the remaining trunk for cncrgization thereby. The other three-color signal is eliminated by the occurrence of the wrong secondary color. j

-Aceordingly. it will be seen that the circuit of FIG. 16 is,adaptcd to'interprct. by establishing unique circuit paramatcrs on a logical basis, 15 combinations of'pulses produced by the scanner in sweep-sensing an index tag having three colors at different index positions selectively cncrgizing until reset one of fifteen output terminals cotrcsponding to the fifteen dliiercntdata designations. The output terminals are connected tothe counters 34 andztho count switch 84 so that uponfaetuation of the handle, 20 the appropriate counter is moved one step,

in accordance witlranother feature of the invention. the apparatus of the-present inventlonimay be arranged to provide a running tally of the 'arcaotparts-cut from v the workpiece. In'this yicldjtotalizer mode of use, be-

live voltage on a'blue trunk 136 and'on sensing a green signal the thyratron i'l-t'jsflred toputa positivevoitagc on a green trunk "lud gArclay Kc has tlvei contacts fot causoof the wide range of die areas, it is'desirable to cmploy apparatus capable of storing and interpreting a relatively large number of different code ',words', corresponding to scanner signals from 'ditftcrenti'datadesignations. For thisfpurpose.v a storage "register shown'in FlCh- 17 is Jopcratibnin rcriiyto store'up 7 to 99 different words as received from-the scanner and upon command to read out these words selectively in accordance with the eode'to operate the totalizing indicalot. The words correspond to 99 different data designa-' tions which may be carried by the dies to denote different sizes thereof, suitably in increments of A sq. inch.

To this end, the storage register of FIG. 17 is arranged for connection to the four leads 56', 58', 60' and 66 by appropriate positioning of the switch 68 to storedata in accordance with the occurrence of voltage pulses on the leads above a trigger threshold. The data-designations carried by the dies are permutations of red, green and blue index areas and a magnet and are designed to cause the scanner to provide pulses on the leads 56', 58' and 60 in accordance with the colored index areas and to provide a pulse on the lead 66 when the designation comprises a magnet. It will be remembered that the scanning of the data designation in the form shown in FIG. 14 produces one pulse from a central index area and two pulses from each ring. According to the code, a red pulse has the value 1 and the storage register "remembers" up to tour red pulses. A blue pulse has the value 5, a green pulse has the value 10. up to four of these being registered, and a pulse on the magnet lead 66' has the value 50. Thus, for example, three red pulses and a blue pulse correspond to the value 8 while two red pulses, three green pulses and a magnet pulse has the value 82.

Referring now to FIG. 17, the counter-register comprises a plurality of cold cathode counting tubes 150, 152, 154, 156, 158 and 160 of the type manufactured by Baird-Atomic inc., Cambridge, Mass. under the registered trademark "Decatron." Such tubes are glow tubes provided with a plurality of cathodes and other electrodes 161 (FIGS. l8 and i9) termed "guides" by which, under the control of conventional drive circuits 162, 164, 166, 168, 170 and 172, respectively, the tube discharge is transfcrrcd from one cathode to another in response to the application of pulses to the drive'circuit. By reversing the connection of the guides to the drive circuit, the direction of transfer may be reversed. Suitable drive circuits are shown in the manual furnished with such tubes. FIG. 20 shows the drive circuit employed in F10. 17 and the switch means for reversing the direction of count. I

The counting tubes 150 and 156 for the red and green pulses, respectively, have such reversible connections between their guides and drive circuits while the other counting tubes do not. The reversing means include the armaturcs R1-2 and-R14 of a relay R1 for the tube 150 and the arrnaturcs R2-2 and R24 of relay R2 in the case of the tube 156.

Each of the tubes 150, 154,156 and 158 has 10 write out cathodes, nine of which are connected internally (see FIG. 18, 141-9) while the other cathode (K0, F10. 18) is termed the zero cathode, and is connected to ground through a load resistor 174 while the common cathodes are connected to ground through a load resistor 176 and the normally closed contacts 178 of a reset switch 180. Actuation of the switch 180 lifts the common cathodes from ground causing the discharge to transfer to the zero cathode it not already there. I

Each 0! the tubes 152 and 160 has ten separate cathodes, oneot which, the zero cathode (K0,'F1G. 19) is connected to ground through a load resistor while all the others (K1 through K9, F10. 19). are connected through individual load resistors and the contacts 178togrouad for resetting the discharge to the zero cathode. it will be understood that the anodes of tha'tubcs are supplied with D.C. voltagethrough a load resistor. Suitably the voltage is 400 volts,via a 560K ohm resistor (notshown).

in storing a word rcccived'trom the scannen'voltage pulseaon'tha red lead 56', are supplicdtbrough the norcathodes corresponding to the numbero f pulses on the red lead which, according to the code, will be a maximum of four. The blue lead 58' is connected to the grid of a thyratron 182 having in its anode circuitfa-relay R4 and the normally closed contacts RS-la of a relay R5 so that closed contacts 117-111 of a relay R7.

The data stored in the register is read out to a commercial A.C. operated stepping motor driven indicator 190 upon closure of a count or trip readoufswitch 192 ar ranged to be closed by actuation of the'handle 20 of the clicker in initiating a cutting stroke. Closure of the switch 192 energizes a relay R8 which holds itself through contacts R8-3b while also closing the contacts R8-1b and R8-2b. I Closure of the contacts R8-1b applies alternating current to the stepping motor of the counter indicator 190 through the lead 194 and any one'of the contacts RJ-la, R4-1b, R9-1a or R6-1b. initially, K3-1a and 10-11: will be closed. From the line, alternating current is supplied through a peaking circuitcomprising a neon tube 196 to the storage register. The peaking circuit providcs a positive pulse on each cycle of the alternating current and as will be explained in detail the number of pulses required to reset the storage register, which number is manifested by the indicator 190, represents the value of the data stored inthe register. Closure of the contacts R8-2b supplies D.C. voltage from a B-E lead through a lead 198 which energizes the relay R1, supplies anode voltage through the relay R3 to a thyratron 200, supplies anode voltage through the relay R5 toIa thyratron 202, energizes the relay R2, supplies anodevoltage through the relay R9 to a thyratron 204, and supplies anode voltago through the relay R7 to a thyratron 206.

Encrglzatlon of R1 reverses the connections of the guides of the tube 150 so that the tube will count backwards and also closes the contacts R1-1b. Energization of the relay K2 similarly causes the tube 156 to count backwards and closes the contacts R2-1b.

-- 'l'he count out pulses from the peaking circuit pass through the contacts R1-1b and R3-2n to the drive circuit 162 causing the tube 150 to count backwards. When the count returns to the zero cathode this cathode will swing positive because of the load resistor 174 and the grid of the thyratron 200 which is connected to the cathode will go positive firing the thyratron and energizing the relay R3. Upon energizing R3, the read-out pulses are transt'crrcd through the contacts 113-21: and, it a blue (5) pulse had energized R4, through R4-2b to the drive circuit of the tube 152 which accepts five pulses and then tires the thyratron 202 deenergizing R4. The pulses are new conducted via R4-2a and R9-2a to the tube 154 where they operate to transfer the discharge entircly around the tube. Each time the discharge reaches the zcrocathode, a signsl is transmitted over a lead .208 through the contacts R2-1b to cause the tube 156 to count backwards one step.

i Accordingly, to bring the discharge in the tube 156 back mallyj'iclosed; contacts lit-1a] and "the' normally closed contacts-R3-22sofiarelay RJ to the "dr ivefclrcuit162tol cause the glow: discharge otgtho tube. J to be trans? mma/359mlt ar q s uc i to its zero cathode,'it will be seen that the number of readout pulscs'required is ten times the number stored in the tube and this number willbe added by',joperation ot the indicator190 to the previously accumulated total. At the time the discharge returns to the zero cathode of the tube 156, this cathode will,gopositive andflre the thyratron .204 energizingthe relayR9../1his energization opens the contacts R9-1a and R9-2a and closes R2-2b. if a magnet pulse (value 50) is registered by the firing or the thyraand 'read-out pulses will be turnished'ft o'g jthe drive circuit Iot the;.tubo 158 whiletheenergization circuit to the indicator' 1 9tt will rem'ainiclo pe read-out'p'uises..; The'tubo 158 is cascadedlwith-the tube 160 and its drive circuit 1723's that upon each tenthpulse a P e is transmitted to the'drivecircuit1725-};{After S0 read-out pulses have been received by the'drive'circuit 170,-- the discharge in the tube 160 reaches the fifth cathode'connectcd to the grid of the thyratron 206 and fires it. The resulting encrgization of the relay R7 opens the circuit of R6 so that the contacts R64!) and R64!) are opened and the indicator 190 stopscounting.

In the operation of the hercinbci'ore described apparatus to indicate the number of cuts made with individual dies, the operator first selects the dies needed for a work order and attaches an identifying index tag to each. Each index tag controls the operation of one of the counters 34 which may be identified if desired by markings indicative of the data designation carried by the index tag. it is assumed i that the switch 68 is positioned to transmit the signals from the scanner to the counter circuits and that the relay logic circuit corresponds with the code chosen for the data designations. With the circuits warmed up and ready for operation, the operator places a workpiece on the support 12 and positions a die in the usual course of operation. He then brings the beam 16 from its rest position to the right rear of the support over the die, passing the scanner 38 over the index tag. The electric circuits thcn operate as discussed hereinabove to register the data encoded on the index tag by the data designation. Upon actuation of the handle 20, the counter corresponding to that index tag is caused to move one interval. Where the counters are preset to the numbers on the work ticket, the indicators will then show a number of cuts remaining and when a counter shows zero the operator will put aside that die.

The operation of the apparatus in the yield totalizer mode is of course similar except that the indicator 190 is operated by the clearing out of the storage register. Thus, it a second cut is made with the same die it will be necessary for the operator to swing the beam once more over the index tag. a

iiavlng thus described my invention, what i claim as new said desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States s:

l. in a press for cutting parts from sheet material by pressing cutting dlcs through the material, the press having a worlt support, a swing beam, power means for moving the beam toward the support in a cutting stroke, and manually-operated trip means for initiating cutting strokes, in combination, light-responsive means carried by the beam for sensing color-coded data designations carried by the dies when positioned on the work support, and an indie cator controlled by the sensing means for manifesting the data embodied in the sensed data designations. I

2. in a press for cutting parts from sheet materialby pressing cutting dies through the material, the press hav-: a

ing a work support, a swing beam, power means for moving the beam toward the support in [cutting stroke, and

manually-operated trip means for initiating cutting strokes, in combination, iight-responsivemcans carried by them, beam for sensing color-coded data designations carried by the dies when positioned on the work support; in stor- 0 and register controlled by the light-responsivenieans tor., storing the data embodied in-s sensed, data' dcsignatiom' and an indlcaterxcontrolled-by said register a'ndby said trip means for manifesting the dsta'storcd injtheregister upon operatlon'o! said trip means. egg}! '1 H??? f 3. in a presstor cutting partstrom sheet material by pressing cutting dies through thematerial, the press hsv- "k ing a work support, a swing beam, power means for moving the beamtoward the support in a cuttingstroke'fand manually-operated trip .,means;jfor initiating, cutting 7 strokes, in combination,-llght-responsive"means carried 1 by the beam for. senslngcoler-coded data dcslgnatlons-. carried by the dies when positioned on'ithe worksupport. astornge register controlled'hythe'sensing means for storing the data embodied in a sensed datadesignation, ,7

lectivciyopcrated; ndergthe' I cg istetji. and the strip. me'ansjforl tallying athe' production 5 of the'p'ress in-te'rms of the numbcr 'of dii ic'rent parts cut. l=;-j'4.- In 'a' "-prcss "fo'r'cutti'ng parts from Fshe'et' material by 1 pressing cutting dies through the materialf the' press having a, work support, "a swing beam, power 'means 'for moving the beam toward the support in a 'cutting stroke, and manually-operated trip means for initiating cutting 0 strokes, in combination, iight-responsivcjmeaas carried by the beam for sensing color-coded data designations carried by the die when positioned on thework support, a storage register controlled by the sensing means for storing thedata embodied in a sensed data designation 5 and an indicator comprising a countcr,,selcctively operated under the control ofthc storage registcr and the trip means for tallying the'production ofthe press in terms otthc total area of parts cut.. I 1

5. in a press for cutting parts from sheet material by 0 pressing cutting dies through the material," the press having a work support, a swing beam, power means for moving the beam toward the support in s cutting stroke, and manually-operated trip means for initiating cutting strokes. in combination, a scanner carried by the beam, 5 said scanner including a source of ultraviolet light for illuminating iluorcscent color-coded datndesignations carried by dies when positioned on the work support and light-responsive means for sensing said data'designations. and an indicator controlled jointly by titcscnsing means 0 and by said trip means for manifesting the data embodied in the sensed data designations. 6. in a press for cutting parts from sheet material by pressing cutting dies through the material, the press having a work support, a swing beam, power means for mov- 35 ing the beam toward the support in a cutting stroke, and

manually-operated trip means for initiating ctttting strokes, in combination. a scanner carried by the beam. the scanncr comprising a source of ttllraviolct light for illuminating fluorescent color-coded data designations carried by 0 dies from the work support, said source being amplitude modulated at a predetermined frequency, the scanner also including a plurality oi photoccllyeach provided with ilitcr means selectively transmitting one color of the data designation color code, a storage register con- 5 trolled by the photoccils for storing the data embodied in a' sensed data designation, and an indicator controlled jointly by a storage register and the trip means for mapit'esting the data embodied in a senseddata designaton. 0 7. in apparatus torcutting out parts i'r in sheet material by pressing freely movable cutting dies through the material, said die carrying a data designation comprising fluorescent material identifying the 'tiie in accordance with a predetermined rode of colored areas, a cutti ting press having afixedfcutting'surt'ace,a prcsser mem- 'ber mounted for swinging over the cutting surtaee, power --means for "moving the presser membertowardthe cutszting surt'ace inla cutting stroke andJmanually-opcrated trip means controlling the-power means iorinitiating L q cuttiag str'oketflgin. combination, a'jscannergeomprising' a 'ssource oiradia'nt 'encrgyt'or exciting the fiuorcscent matcriai ot -,a data designation of a dle'p'ositioned 'on' the cutting surt'acerand a plurality ot-photocelldcviccs each joint {control {the storage selectivelysesponsive to radiant energy at the wave length tij'oi onset-the colors of the data designationcolorcode,

2,192,244 Schlesinger Mar. 5, 1940 12 Shortell Dec. 28, 1943 Bolston Aug. 5, 1947 Dehn June 21, 1949 Fultz Apr. 8, 1952 Wallace Oct. 5, 1954 Brownell May 7, 1957 Williams July 30, 1963 

1. IN A PRESS FOR CUTTING PARTS FROM SHEET MATERIAL BY PRESSING CUTTING DIES THROUGH THE MATERIAL, THE PRESS HAVING A WORK SUPPORT, A SWING BEAM, POWER MEANS FOR MOVING MANUALLY-OPERATED TRIP MEANS FOR INITIATING CUTTING STROKES, IN COMBINATION, LIGHT-RESPONSIVE MEANS CARRIED BY THE BEAM FOR SENSING COLOR-CODED DATA DESIGNATIONS CARRIED BY THE DIES WHEN POSITIONED ON THE WORK SUPPORT, AND AN INDICATOR CONTROLLED BY THE SENSING MEANS FOR MANIFESTING THE DATA EMBODIED IN THE SENSED DATA DESIGNATIONS. 